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jules_not_dead's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
greatolcatsby's review
3.0
*Actual rating: 3.5*
Katharen (nicknamed Keet) and her family travel from Alabama to Illinois in order to be closer to her grandfather. In her new school, instead of being a talkative storyteller, she ends up keeping herself silent as the other kids tease her for her southern accent.
I enjoyed the connection between Keet and her grandfather. She really looks up to him in times of support as her grandfather gives her life lessons in the form of fishing metaphors.
In verse, it's a simple yet powerful and heartfelt story about family, friendship, and finding yourself.
Katharen (nicknamed Keet) and her family travel from Alabama to Illinois in order to be closer to her grandfather. In her new school, instead of being a talkative storyteller, she ends up keeping herself silent as the other kids tease her for her southern accent.
I enjoyed the connection between Keet and her grandfather. She really looks up to him in times of support as her grandfather gives her life lessons in the form of fishing metaphors.
In verse, it's a simple yet powerful and heartfelt story about family, friendship, and finding yourself.
barbellbooks's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sc104906's review
3.0
After Keet moves from Alabama to the north, she has trouble fitting in. She begins to drift further and further inside of herself, until her grandfather has a stroke and she uses their stories to reach out to him.
jade13's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
melmollick's review
5.0
Another book in verse! If you liked Crossover or Booked, you will love this.
orangerful's review
5.0
I don't know why I always shy away from books written in verse. I don't consider myself a fan of poetry so I suppose the idea of reading a story in that format doesn't appeal to me. Yet the few times I have taken a chance, I have been very impressed. This is one of those times.
The short lines of verse are more powerful than any prose paragraph, capturing Katharen's emotions in a way that a normal sentence might not.
This is a beautiful story about a girl who moves from Alabama to a town further north, where she hides her talent for telling stories after the other kids mock her accent. She finds solace with her grandfather, hanging out with him and talking about fishing - well, she thinks he is talking about fishing, but he is giving her little life lessons.
Great story for middle grade readers (4th grade and up) and this actually might be a good pick for someone reading out loud to a classroom of students.
The short lines of verse are more powerful than any prose paragraph, capturing Katharen's emotions in a way that a normal sentence might not.
This is a beautiful story about a girl who moves from Alabama to a town further north, where she hides her talent for telling stories after the other kids mock her accent. She finds solace with her grandfather, hanging out with him and talking about fishing - well, she thinks he is talking about fishing, but he is giving her little life lessons.
Great story for middle grade readers (4th grade and up) and this actually might be a good pick for someone reading out loud to a classroom of students.
jengennari's review
5.0
This one crept up on me--loved the fishing and Keet's relationship with her grandfather. A wonderful story of learning to fit in. A more formal emphasis on poetic form here, with an appendix about poetry.
librarianinthewoods's review
4.0
4.5. I love books written in verse. And I loved this book about a girl who moves up North from Alabama and stands out for her accent. A sweet story about finding our voice and our stories. About family and friendships. The author uses ten different types of poem structures throughout the book which I didn’t realize until the ending notes. I’ll read this again. You can fall into the words and rhythm.
New Girl Blues
I got the New-Girl blues.
I got those back-to-school and don’t-want-to,
do-I-have-to-Mama? do-I-have-to? blues.
Blues in my thinking, blues
in my walk. Blue and lonely lonely
because of my New-Girl talk.
I got the New-Girl,
don’t-want-to-go,
don’t-make-me-go blues.
New Girl Blues
I got the New-Girl blues.
I got those back-to-school and don’t-want-to,
do-I-have-to-Mama? do-I-have-to? blues.
Blues in my thinking, blues
in my walk. Blue and lonely lonely
because of my New-Girl talk.
I got the New-Girl,
don’t-want-to-go,
don’t-make-me-go blues.